This disclosure relates to a liner for a gas turbine engine combustion chamber.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive at least the compressor. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines. Some gas turbine engines include a fan section driven by the turbine section.
The combustor section typically includes one or more combustion chambers. Each combustor may include a liner or heat shield to carry a thermal load and a support structure to carry a pressure load exerted on the combustor during operation. The liner or heat shield defines a combustion chamber. In some current designs, both the heat shield and the support structure are metallic. The heat shield is generally attached to the support structure via threaded studs. The metallic heat shields may need to be periodically replaced due to failure induced by the extremely high temperatures generated in the combustor section.
Ceramic-based materials are known to have increased heat resistance as compared to metallic materials. However, ceramic materials have decreased strength capacity. The inclusion of threaded holes to receive a fastener may introduce local flaws into a ceramic structure, which may lead to cracking or breakage of the structure.